The Irish standard., 1887-02-19
A MUSEUM OF cuRtos.
The Contents of the Observation-Disclosures
Room of Big City Hotel.


licences Of the forgetfulness and f.
nancial ilresponsibilitv Of q vast NUM-
ber Of guests. The rule generally among
hotels is to keep unclaimed baggage or
packages three years, subject to the
call Of the owner, at the expiration OF
which time those remaining are sold at
auction This annual sale took place
recently, consisting of the parcels and
possessions left during the year 1883.
To one viewing this vast collection Of
f, luggage it would seem almost incon-
ceiyahle that So many things should
have been forgotten, as Il major part
were, and also that SO many unusual
things should be found there. The
word baggage is not generally taken to
! mean cooking-stoye. OF q sewing
machine, yet in this collection was not
only a cooking-stoye, but pots, pans.
cof1ee-pots, knives, forks and a potato
masller. while off in one corner We're
two antiquated sewing-m;chines. One
had been left by mistake and the other
Intentionally as collateral for value al
ready received by the owner in the
shape Of food and lodging. There were
trunks and valises Of all sizes. styles
and descriptions, from the silver
mounted alligator-skin grip Of the
swell drummer to the tin-bound black
varuis.ed paper valisc of the country
man who spent all his money seeing
the town and Jumped his board bill, "
leaving this sole token of his love. OF
very substantial one was opened, and
was found TO contain The full uniform
Of ~ German dragoon. Every thing
was complete 80 top boots and spurs,
dress and fatigue coats and trousers
covered witt, gold lace. sabretache and
shake. whil; on the breast OF the dress
coat was sewed q decoration, pendant
from triangle formed Of German col
ors, the medal itself of bronze gilded
and beulng date OF 1874 and Il
German inscription. In the same trunk
was velvet-lined case in which were 81
pair Of old duo'ing pistols. From the size
and style Of these weapons they must
have been nearly one bundred years
old.
All of the things in this trunk be-
spoke a certain amount of refinement,
which contrasted strangely with the
contentS of the neiyhboring one. In
that were lot Of old clothes, copies of
flash literature, two whisky bottles
one empty, the other hait iul'-;s Worn
out revolver and d;,ngerous-looiling
knife Three Large massive trunks
were especially noticeable and were
found to contain theatrical costumes Oh
remarkable beauty and value. a close
i1lyesti CATION revealed the name OF the
owner, an actress of National reputa-
tion, who has been notified and to
whom the trunks will be delivered,
they having been probably forgotten
OF delivered to the wrong address and
retuglic,i, Another trunk was full Of
blank books, Ic,igers, etc, and there
was one full Of sponges, one OF
chamois skin, ore OF hatchets, ;,Nes
and knives; one Of cloalls, which had
been so motl,-eaten as to rese,nhio
mosquito netting: one Of shoes, but
not :, pair. among them; one Of hats
and caps Of all kinds. from a satin
opera-i,at to Il ffty-ccnt cloth cap;
while still another was ful, Of fans,
some beautifully inl;eid and some OF
japanese ana Chinese Manufacture, IN
all over a thousand fans,
Probably the one that Was tfe most
accurate representative Of its owner $
character was the orunll full OF bricks.
sand-ba"s and scrap-iron. The man
who left it also left I. large bill. One
valiso was full OF champagne, aud in
others were found Christmas cards,
music, gloves, pictures, jcwel1y. but
tons, laces, optical and surgical instru-
ments, dolls, tobacco. a lnarla-spil1e,
marine glasses, charts OF the Pacific
Ocean and China Sea and various com
mercial samples in almost every mag
Unable kind OF business. There WAS
a large packing-box full of advertising
for the ill-fatcd New Orleans Exlosi-
tion, while another contained choruses
and blank advertising cards.
In corner stood about three hun.
dred umbrellas and canes. represents
ing every known type Of either article.
Near this lot hung a small reticule,
which was jewel in It's wac, and con
tanned two articles distincriycly fe]ni-
nine--; powder-rag and a garter. The
oulv approach to this in the way o1 !
scant baggage was a collar-Eoox neatly !
wrapped, in which there were two very
high collars, pair Of ceil1loid cuffs
and soiled white scarf. No claim
existed against these articles, and is
generally supposed the dude was too
weak to carry them away. There were
some quite valuable emeralds, few
opals, pearls and sapphires. Several
gold chains and cuff-buttons we're al-
so found.
After the sale had been concluded
the only articles lett on the scene of the
battle were the little handbag and the
and although the generous
auctioneer had on several occasions Of
fered them as inducements to speedy
purchase and afterwards thrown them